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Living in
Oak Forest.
About
Life in Oak Forest
This is a solidly middle-class suburb where you'll find mostly married couples and families—about half of households are married couples, and nearly a third have kids. The median age hovers around 39, so it's not a young professionals scene or a retirement community, but rather people settled into their lives. Housing is relatively affordable compared to Chicago proper, with median home values around $255,000 and rents averaging $1,328 monthly, though the job market is tight with unemployment at 4.5%.
Oak Forest at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Foreign-Born
11.8%
Broadband Internet
94.1%
of households
Population Growth
-2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oak Forest: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oak Forest, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (26.9%), and 12.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.9%
of households
Married Couples
54.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.58
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IL
Rent, home values, and income in Oak Forest
Rent and home values here are close to the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,589
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
82.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $301,258 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Oak Forest and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Oak Forest is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Oak Forest Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute31.8 min avg
How Oak Forest residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oak Forest, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 27 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 90% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oak Forest runs 90% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
33.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
348.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oak Forest Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 55 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cook County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cook County, which includes Oak Forest, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 55 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | Flood | $494.9M |
| 2024 | 57 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $550.0M |
| 2022 | 51 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.1M |
| 2021 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cook County, county-wide
Oak Forest is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cook County, which includes Oak Forest, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
149
per year
Moderate Days
191
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Cook County, county-wide
Oak Forest is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oak Forest has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.5"
Annual Snowfall
28.2"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.65" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 4.02" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.91" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.73" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.02" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.44" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.47" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oak Forest
Uninsured
7.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Oak Forest's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Ingalls Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.8 mi away · Harvey
Palos Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · Palos Heights
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Olympia Fields
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oak Forest
Oak Forest's student/teacher ratio is 13.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 31.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Oak Forest (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,569 students · in-state tuition $73,962 · 96% graduate · median earnings $103,872 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 5,671 students · in-state tuition $8,675 · 51% graduate · median earnings $58,620 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,096 students · in-state tuition $39,080 · 62% graduate · median earnings $64,661 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 1,384 students · in-state tuition $13,358 · 38% graduate · median earnings $48,395 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 820 students · in-state tuition $21,205 · 65% graduate · median earnings $60,507 (10 yrs after entry)
Calumet College of Saint Joseph
14.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 529 students · in-state tuition $24,820 · 47% graduate · median earnings $50,059 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 10 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oak Forest
Oak Forest has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (10 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
10 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
34 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oak Forest
Acorn Public Library District
15624 South Central Avenue, Oak Forest
Cities Near Oak Forest
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oak Forest?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oak Forest FAQ
Is Oak Forest, Illinois affordable?⌄
Oak Forest's median rent is $1,328/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $91,990/year. Median home value is $255,100.
Is Oak Forest, Illinois safe?⌄
Oak Forest's violent crime rate was 34 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 349 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oak Forest, Illinois?⌄
Oak Forest has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oak Forest, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Oak Forest is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,328/month and median household income is $91,990/year. The median home value is $255,100. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oak Forest, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Oak Forest is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from